Prepare for the intrieguing tale of the arch-villain, Gru, and his rollicking adventures in crime.  Even if the film makers hadn’t lead us right to Gru’s (Steve Carell) door, there would be no doubt that the drab, foreboding house with the over-grown  lawn probably belonged to a pretty evil guy.

Recently demoted to being the second most nefarious bad-guy in the world, since his nemesis, Vector (Jason Segal), stole the Great Pyramid, Gru is determined to win back first place. With a headquarters teeming with gadgets and a hoard of (cute, little yellow) minions working deep underneath his grungy, suburban home, Gru works feverishly to top his rival’s stunning accomplishment.

In all his badness, including a very heavy pseudo-Russian accent quite reminiscent of Boris Badenov (“Rocky and His Friends”), Gru appears to be a heartless villain through and through. His latest caper involves shrinking and stealing the Moon, an endeavor so large that his evil deed will be noticed around the globe and his criminal reputation will be restored. When three little orphan girls appear on his doorstep selling cookies, Gru develops the perfect plan to execute his scheme. What he didn’t expect is that cute little girls like Edith, Agnes and Margo, have a way of growing on you.

Animated films and 3-D CGI effects seem to go hand-in-hand at the movies this year. In the case of “Despicable Me,” the effect adds a wonderful dimension to the audience’s overall viewing experience. Instead of being merely a showcase for the technology, the story is enhanced by the expanded visuals. After the movie, we are given a wonderful demonstration of the medium’s capabilities when the little minions attempt to physically connect with the audience.

Directors Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin together with screenwriters Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio manage to create and visualize a tale that is universally entertaining. A simple plot with enough tiny, clever nuisances to keep you watching it with a keen eye, “Despicable Me” has plenty to offer with its subtle humor, fine voice-over talent and sheer quirkiness. The good news is a “sequel portal” seems to have been left ajar.

IMDB